CO2/Vent Fan question

i have wondered about this same thing... I would think if the tent is sealed up well enough then it should be manageable... Lets say you leave the carbon scrubber on for 20 minutes after the light turns off to make the temperature inside and outside the tent the same and then allow the co2 producer to kick on and run? Heck even if you had the carbon scrubber on its own timmer and during the dark period had it turn on for 15 minutes every hour.. it should be alright and if you wanted have the co2 machine kick off for that time period or just leave it on.. i just rambled sorry..

 

[quote name='smokeandmirrors']Say I want to add CO2 to my tent during the dark period

MJ does not use CO2 during lights out, so this is not something you should be doing; only run CO2 when your lights are on. If your room/tent is sealed, (if you have a tent then I doubt it is truly sealed), then the easy way to get CO2 running is use a temp/humidity controller that runs your vent and your CO2 solenoid so the vent turns on when temps or humidity gets to your set point and at the same time it turns off your CO2 so your not wasting it. Of course you should have all exiting air leaving your space by going through your carbon scrubber to keep smells under control.

I suggest you do a search on CO2, lot's of info here on how to properly use it and how to setup the equipment needed to run everything.

 

Dont know what there talking about i would imagine they're trying make a few bucks. MJ use CO2 when the lights are on for photosynthesis. No lights no photosynthesis no need for CO2. If you turn the CO2 on 20 minutes before the lights come on, let the room reach the correct PPM before they start photosynthesis.

Keep'em burnin
DirtyViperMan

 

Don't listen to another thing that guys says. His full-o-shit meter is pegged.

 

Good call, since MJ is a C3 plant an uses it during light periods only,

 

As a couple others have said...don't use co2 with the lights off, the plants only use it when the lights are on.

I don't know what kind of light(s) and system your using, but here is what I would do with a co2 setup.

first of all If you using co2, thers no need to contantly bring in fresh air, you don't really need intake/exhaust vents, because the co2 is the "fresh air" so just use your carbon scrubber and fan as a closed loop...meaning you have the scrubber hooked directly to a fan, or maybe a short length tubing like a 1-3 ft., it will suck in air from inside the tent, and exhaust the air back into the tent. It will constantly cycle the air in the room and clean the smell out, and can hook up to a timer as well. you could opt to use the intake/exhaust vents and only turn them on while the lights and co2 are off, but still don't see the need.

If your using a H.I.D lighting then, use a cool tube, or the better option, an air coolable reflector, and use the scrubber on a closed loop also, like explained above...downside to this, is you will need 2 fans, which are quite expensive for descent ones.

If your using a hydro setup, then things can get more complicated because you'll have humidity to deal with. The only logical way to deal with this is a dehumidifier, because using intake/exhaust vents to control humidity, won't allow you to build up the proper co2 levels. You'll just be wasting it by sucking it all out of the grow tent/area. Then again...dehumidifiers put off a lot of heat, so if you start running a dehumidifer then it could raise your temps to an unacceptable level, then you'll also need to add an ac or vent in air from an ac, just have no exhaust fan, allowing you to keep the co2 in the room

BUT REMEMBER....when using co2, the plants actually like a higher temp. while the optimal growing temp without co2 is around 70-75 deg F, with co2 you can stay between 80-85...maybe even 90 deg F. also remember issues like high heat and humidity get worse the smaller grow area you have. like a 4ft x 4ft hydro hut, they will build up fast, while if your using a whole spare bedroom, it still might not even be an issue.

 

MJ uses co2 during the light cycle turning it into oxygen and uses oxygen during the dark cycle turning it into co2.

You want to use a controller that only turn's on the tank valve or what ever when the recirculating fan isn't on. This means that u need enclosed glass sealed hoods with 6 or 8 inch vents on each side that have their intake from the outside atmosphere of the tent and they expel the exhaust to the outside also. This leaves your tent undisturbed. All the rest of the time u will use a thermostat controller to run your other fan which pulls air from inside the tent because it is too hot to the outside. There will also be another part of the same controller that will be run off a light sensitive controller that is only on when light is present in the room. This will turn on and off the co2 valve or generator " tank is better and cheaper in the long run". This way you are putting co2 into the space only when no air is leaving the tent. When it is hot and the recirculating fan needs to start the same devise will turn off the solenoid valve and u will not waste putting co2 into the tent wile the old air is being evacuated.

edit: I just reread this and its time to go to sleep - the info is accurate but wtf ima buzzzzzed.

Peace to all.

 

I think this is the answer to cleaning the smell from a sealed system plus it will provide air circulation. I have a ozone generator outside the area which seems to take care of the problem. I'm concerned about the health effects of having an ozone generator running constantly so this closed loop carbon scubber system may be something I will try.

 

I've heard that before...when sharper image came out with the ionicbreeze...people were scared of them, said they were dangerous spewing out ozone..... ... but it smells so good.